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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Patty notes that, as a result of her affair with Richard, she felt what?

2. What is the name of Richard's roommate in "Mistakes Were Made"?

3. When Patty enters her new home at the end of "Mistakes Were Made," she realizes what?

4. Patty and Walter are described as their neighborhood's what?

5. How does Patty seduce Richard in "Mistakes Were Made"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What decision does Joey make that infuriates the Berglunds?

2. What is Nameless Lake, and how does it get its name?

3. Describe the friendship between Eliza and Patty.

4. Who is Walter? How does Patty meet him, and what does she think of him?

5. What is the only information about her past that Patty shares with others?

6. Who is Blake? What does he do that drives Patty mad?

7. How do the residents of Ramsey Hill view Patty Berglund?

8. Who is Carol Monaghan and what is her relationship to the Berglunds?

9. When Richard is invited to stay at the lake house, what is the state of Patty and Walter's marriage?

10. What happens after Patty leaves Eliza for the last time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Is there hope for Walter and Patty? Why or why not? Base your answer on their history, beliefs, and behaviors.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the novel's epigraph, which is taken from The Winter's Tale. How does this quote reflect the novel's plot and themes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the issue of parenthood in the novel. What makes a good parent? Are there any good parents in the novel? What, in your opinion, is Franzen trying to say about being a parent?

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This section contains 786 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample